Paint and clear coat suggestions

[Scoot]

Hi All,

I've got a muskie lure that I'd like to paint. I'd like suggestions for the type of paint I should use for it. Also, what should I use for clear coat after it's painted. Please be specific as to what I should use. Lastly, if there are products that I can pick up at Fleet Farm, Menards, Lowes, etc. that'd work fine, that'd be the easiest.

Thanks!

[MuskieMojoTackle]

Scoot,

How 'bout a little more detail...

What kind of bait?

What are you trying to accomplish? quick touchup, totally new paint job, etc?

Is this the only bait you want to paint or will you be painting a bunch more?

A little more detail and I can definitely provide some help.

[Fish-n-Freak]

I would like to know the same -- just for a couple lures. Trying to paint an old lure and a couple of homemade lures. Not going to be worth buying the air-brush and all the fancy stuff. Just need some good paint and a solid clear coat.

Thanks,

Steve

[MuskieMojoTackle]

 Originally Posted By: Fish-n-Freak

I would like to know the same -- just for a couple lures. Trying to paint an old lure and a couple of homemade lures. Not going to be worth buying the air-brush and all the fancy stuff. Just need some good paint and a solid clear coat.

Thanks,

Steve

For a simple task like that I would just go with whatever you can get in a rattle can. Good color selection and you can do some decent patterns with a little control of the can. Make some stencils and you can get even more advanced.

With the rattle cans, make sure to use the same brand of paint. Some brands are not compatible with each other. Also, dont use gloss. Flat goes on much nicer.

Also, if you are starting on bare wood you will need a primer of some sort. Rust-Oleum Appliance Epoxy in white is a pretty good one. You can get that at Menards.

For clearcoat...Devcon 2 Ton Epoxy. You can get it at Walmart. Make sure you get the 2-ton stuff, not the 5 minute. Brush it on, hit it with a torch, and let it hang so the excess can drip off. You'll have a nice clear, hard topcoat.

For a bait or 2 here and there this is the best way to go. It's exactly how I started out.

[Fish-n-Freak]

Thanks!

I will give it a try and see what happens. Is the torch trick to get the bubbles out, or to make it dry faster?

Steve

[MuskieMojoTackle]

The torch is too get the bubbles out.

Make sure you mix the two parts very well or they will never cure and you will have a sticky mess on your hands. I like to do two coats also. I generally cure my baits on a drying wheel; but when hanging, for the second coat I flip the lure 180 degrees and hang it the other way so I get better coverage.

[Scoot]

Perfect- that's exactly the info I was looking for.

One more piece of follow up- can you give a little more detail about the clear coat application and process? Specifically, can you give more detail about the use of the torch?

Luke, have you used any rattle can type clear coats? Do any of them give you an acceptable finished product, or is the 2 part stuff you recommended a whole lot better than I can get in a rattle can? I tried a rattle can product a few years ago and wasn't happy at all with the results. I sort of gave up at that point and haven't done much since.

Thanks for the info- I appreciate it!

[MuskieMojoTackle]

 Originally Posted By: Scoot

Perfect- that's exactly the info I was looking for.

One more piece of follow up- can you give a little more detail about the clear coat application and process? Specifically, can you give more detail about the use of the torch?

Luke, have you used any rattle can type clear coats? Do any of them give you an acceptable finished product, or is the 2 part stuff you recommended a whole lot better than I can get in a rattle can? I tried a rattle can product a few years ago and wasn't happy at all with the results. I sort of gave up at that point and haven't done much since.

Thanks for the info- I appreciate it!

I have not found a rattle can finish that I am happy with. They just are not very durable, and very often will make the paint run. Go with the Devcon.

As far as applying the epoxy...

1. Depending on the size of the bait, you may need multiple tubes to cover one lure.

2. Combine the two parts in a container (I use a Dixie cup) and mix very well.

3. Brush/goop the clearcoat on the lure. Make sure the entire surface is covered.

4. Hang the bait and hit it lightly with a torch. This will remove the bubbles and get the epoxy flowing. If you want a thinner coat, hit it with a little more heat. This will get the epoxy flowing more and more will drip off the bait.

5. If you want a second coat, flip the bait 180 and repeat 2-4

This process can get messy. I suggest rubber gloves and a cheap throw away paint brush.

[MUSKY18]

Luke:

What do you recommend for a lure that I would like to repaint that is already painted. Should I sand it down and get rid of the old paint job, or just paint right over the existing paint job. Will the paint stay on the bait? Use a primer coat over the old paint before repainting? I have a couple of Reef Hawgs that I hardly ever throw and thought about giving them a "custom" paint job.

[MuskieMojoTackle]

Bret -

It depends.

Sanding down to bare wood is likely the best, but you can certainly get away with scuffing the paint, hitting it with a coat of white, and then painting on the pattern you are after.

I'd go with a thin clear coat on Reef Hawgs so as not to mess up the action at all.

[Scoot]

Luke, another question (I'm full of questions)- I went to Fleet Farm last night and bought some paint. I went to get the Devcon 2 ton epoxy and they didn't carry it. I almost bought a good, long drying epoxy there (not the five minute stuff), but didn't. Is the Devcon brand important or is it just the piece about not getting five minute stuff that matters? I'll run to Walmart and get the Devcon today, but just wondering about next time.

Thanks for all the info- I'm looking forward to doing some painting this weekend.

[MuskieMojoTackle]

Scoot, honestly I've never tried another brand of epoxy. Devcon works, so I stick with it.

The long drying is very important. The brand may not be that important, but I cant say for sure.

I've had great luck with Devcon so I keep using it...and it seems to be the preferred/recommended brand in most tackle craft circles.

It is ultra clear, hard, and does not yellow.

[Cooter]

Anyone have any tips for painting spinner blades?

[MuskieMojoTackle]

Again, depends on what you are using them for.

For general purpose, rattle cans work pretty well and are fairly durable. For production purposes, I would say powder paint is your best bet.

I dont have much experience painting blades

[cjac]

Fishing Minnesota has added a new forum, titled as "Rod Building & Lure Making" to the list of forums!

It's listed above in the "Outdoors Activites Forums". Should be a great source of information and a place for questions.

Chris

[Cooter]

Sweet!